Favorite Colorado 14er Climbs With Dogs

“So how many 14ers has Ranger climbed?” invariably asks a peak bagger.

“Seven different peaks but a total of fifteen climbs counting repeats.” He didn’t start climbing until just before his second birthday, a requirement that I had to make sure all of his growth plates were closed to make him less susceptible to injury. He’ll turn five this fall.

Auntie Layla, who didn’t start climbing until she was nearly five, has summited six different 14,000-foot mountains (14ers), plus some repeats.

With the assistance of my husband, Dave Olmstead, I’ve compiled a list of our favorite 14ers to climb with dogs. Dave has summited all of the state’s 58 named 14ers, plus many repeats. I’ve only climbed 29.

Before picking out a 14er to climb with Fido, make sure that your furry friend is in good health, conditioned for climbing, and acclimated to altitude. Dave and I recently encountered a young couple with an older dog along a trail to an alpine lake. The gal explained that the dog belonged to her parents who were attempting to summit Mt. Yale. The parents had wisely left Fido with the couple because the dog didn’t do well at high altitude.

Presuming your dog (and you of course) are in shape, how do you select suitable 14ers for fit canines?

Dave rules out all Class 3, 4 and 5 climbs. These require scrambling, often times using your hands, up couloirs and crevices, where loose rocks and sheer drops abound. Humans need to concentrate on the route without the added distraction of Fido. Plus, Fido adds to the already existing danger of loosening a rock which may tumble down on an unsuspecting climber. These routes often have sharp rocks and huge boulders, both of which may result in cut paws.

He also eliminates numerous Class 2 routes because of very rocky trails. That leaves Class 1 and only some Class 2 routes. Realize that peaks often have different routes, with varying class rankings, so make sure that you only consider the Class 1 and Class 2 trails! Consult www.14ers.com and Jerry Roach’s book, Colorado’s Fourteeners, for more information on these trails.

Consider your answers to a few questions to narrow down which 14ers are appropriate for your dog:

• Is the length of the climb too long for your canine?
• Are there water sources available for Fido, without possible contamination from open range livestock?
• Is the trail primarily dirt or does it cover mostly broken rock and lots of talus?
• Is the peak very popular with humans and canines? If your dog isn’t well behaved around other canines, choose a less popular 14er or leave Fido at home. Or try to climb during the week, avoiding weekends.

Our favorite 14ers for dogs have trails primarily on packed dirt much of the way to the summit and, except Mt. Shavano, have good water sources at least at or near the trailhead. These summits lack 360-degree, sheer drop offs, allowing room for you and an on-leash Fido as well as other climbers to enjoy views from the top.

Here’s our list of favorites:

• Handies Peak: From the American Basin 4-wheel drive trailhead, this is my absolute favorite 14er! The basin is gorgeous with water sources up until Sloans Lake, just off the trail about halfway to the summit. The dogs love to cool off in the lake ascending and descending! Sometimes mounds of snow last long into the climbing season near the lake. What more could a Labrador ask for than snow and a lake? From the upper trailhead, the round-trip distance is 4.6 miles with about a 2,450-foot elevation gain.
• Huron Peak: From the South Winfield 4-wheel drive trailhead, this standard route trail is mostly dirt mixed with some small rocks until near the summit where it turns steeper and rockier. There is plenty of water at the trailhead and usually some water, which might be stagnant, about half way up. The 4.6-mile round-trip trail from this upper trailhead has a 3,403-foot elevation gain. It’s a great warm up for longer climbs!

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  Mt. Elbert: Dave and I first climbed the state’s highest 14er years ago with our Labrador Max from the North Mt. Elbert trailhead, the standard route. Hiking through the forest and then up onto the tundra was especially good on paws. Higher up some smaller rock was fine for conditioned paws. The round-trip distance is about nine miles with a 4,393-foot elevation gain. We now climb from the South Mt. Elbert 4-wheel drive trailhead which has water sources fairly low down. This 7.2-mile round-trip route is shorter, with just under 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Layla and Ranger collectively have climbed Elbert a total of five times along this route which is fine for conditioned paws.

• San Luis Peak: The climb from the Stewart Creek trailhead is a long one (12 miles round trip, with an estimated 3,554-foot elevation gain) but the easy-on-the-foot trail, until closer to the summit, makes it a great route for humans and dogs. BUT, be sure to keep Fido leashed until after the countless beaver ponds and willows because of moose. You don’t want your dog to engage in an encounter with a moose, much less with a bull and his family!
• Mt. Massive: From the North Half Moon Creek 4-wheel drive trailhead, this southwest slopes route has water sources at its start and before it leaves the North Half Moon trail. From that junction, the Class 2 trail is mostly on good, solid packed dirt until the upper reaches when it becomes much rocker and then joins the standard east slopes route. The southwest slopes route is much shorter (only 5.8 miles round trip) but much steeper (about a 4,000-foot elevation gain) than the 13.6-mile round-trip standard route (mostly a Class 1 approach with about a 4,530-foot elevation gain).
• Mt. Shavano: From the Blank Gulch trailhead, this standard 8.5-mile round-trip route has limited water sources but offers a solid dirt Class 1 trail until about the saddle at 13,380 feet. The trail then has more talus and loose rock up to the summit, for a total elevation gain of about 4,430 feet. Resist the temptation to continue on with Fido over to Tabeguache Peak. The traverse route has lots loose dirt and large blocks of rocks.

  

• Mt.Yale is one of Ranger’s favorite peaks. He usually encounters other canines and loves the climb when snow still exists high up. Starting at the Denny Creek trailhead, there are good water sources before the turnoff to Brown’s Pass and Hartenstein Lake. There also are a couple of more water sources between the turnoff and treeline. This trail, a Class 2 on the upper reaches, is about 8.5 miles round trip with a nearly a 4,300-foot elevation gain.

If you decide climb with Fido, make sure to bring plenty of water, a collapsible water bowl, treats, Mushers Secret and booties for emergencies. Have your dog under strict voice control or on a leash so Fido doesn’t chase critters or rush up to other climbers. Be considerate of those individuals who just don’t like man’s best friend. For additional tips and information about Mushers Secret, read my earlier post: https://www.caryunkelbach.com/climbing-colorados-14ers-with-dogs/

Have fun and enjoy your climb with Fido!